1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ratchet mechanisms and, in particular, ratchet wrenches of the reversible type having a manually-operated reversing lever. The invention relates in particular to indicia for indicating the operational conditions selected by the reversing mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reversible ratchet mechanisms, for use in ratchet wrenches and the like, are well known in the art. Such ratchet mechanisms commonly have a reversing lever which is manually operable for shifting a pawl mechanism between forward and reverse operating conditions. In one such reversible ratchet, made by Snap-on Incorporated, the ratchet head is oblong or oval-shaped and the reversing lever pivots about an axis which is offset from the axis of rotation of the ratchet drive body. In another Snap-on reversible ratchet, known as a "round head" ratchet, the reversing lever is in the form of a ribbed disk which is coaxial with the ratchet drive body.
A common problem with such prior reversible round head ratchet mechanisms is that it was not easy for the operator to know in which condition the mechanism was set. In order to determine this, an operator first had to test the ratchet to see which direction it was set for and, if it was not the desired direction, he would actuate the reversing lever to the opposite condition. Also, in such prior reversible ratchet mechanisms the operator could not tell, without first testing the mechanism, whether or not it was fully engaged in either of the forward or reverse conditions or, alternatively, was disposed in an intermediate or neutral condition wherein the pawl mechanism was not engaged in either direction.
Prior devices have attempted to solve this problem by providing indicia on the mechanism so that an operator could tell whether or not the pawl mechanism was disposed in a fully engaged condition and, if so, to indicate whether it was in the forward or reverse condition. But such prior indicating arrangements have involved the use of indicia on the ratchet head or handle portion and, therefore, their proper use has been contingent upon assembly of the ratchet mechanism in the head in the proper initial orientation relative to the ratchet head. Also, because the indicia are on the head or handle portion, that head cannot be used with other, non-reversible ratchet assemblies.